A Payment For Purgatory
by Watercolour Stains
Summary: Some things one would rather forget Warning Contains scenes of rape


Payment For Purgatory

Neva leaves the library, her arms laden with books. She walks through the dark corridor, hoping a passing Professor wouldn't realise how far past the curfew she had stayed up. She had been too engrossed in her work to realise the time. It had been well past midnight when she looked up at the clock in the library. She just reaches the stairwell and is about to walk down it when a pair of firm strong hands grab her, her books falling down the steps with loud clatters as she is dragged into the shadows. She screams, willing the previously unwanted Professor's to arrive. Her captor, whom she couldn't see because of the lack of light, seems to lose patience with her. He hits her over the head with a heavy book; one that she realised had been about healing charms. How ironic.

Neva awaked with a start, her mind suddenly filled with memories of what happened before she was knocked out. Unmoving, her eyes dart around the dark, dank room she was being held in. Where was she? Where had he taken her? She tries desperately to get up but is prevented by the chains holding her arms in place above her head. She resigns herself to lying on the cold, wet floor, feeling around with her feet for her wand.

She stops moving, however, when she hears a soft clink and the opening of the heavy metal door in front of her. She squints her eyes, trying to see who it was. Somewhat relieved, only by the fact that it wasn't some random stranger, she finds that it is Pierre. She opens her mouth to begin her tirade of abuse, but is stunted by a quick moving Pierre who clamps his hand to her mouth. She looks at him, hurt and disbelief etched on her face as she tries to gauge why he would take her captive like this.

"Now now sweetheart. We'll have none of that here" Pierre sneers with a sickly err of superiority. After all, he did have the upper hand. She was tied up and unable to escape. He could have her all to himself. "You remember that day when I kissed you?" he asks, his feigned sentimentality falling on deaf ears. "The day you walked out of my life" he states in a much harsher tone. He was intent on making her pay for that. "You left me without so much as a parting gift. You have any idea what that does to a man when he is thrown from a relationship without even consummating it" he seethes, intent on making her regret her actions.

Neva listens to Pierre's words, racking her brain to remember the day in question. It had been one of the worst days of her life, which was quite a feat considering how her life had panned out during that fated summer before her seventh year.

Pierre breaks Neva from her reverie with a swift punch in the jaw. "Wakey wakey" he simpers, as he feels his fist collide with bone. Neva yelps in pain, her jaw throbbing in protest at Pierre's violence. "It's time for that present shortly" he whispers in her ear, his hot breath burning her.

She couldn't see him clearly, only a vague outline drawn by the thin beam of light falling through the door. He begins to reign more punches onto her frail frame, each one feeling worse than its brother. Not wishing to show Pierre her pain, she concentrates on keeping her visage impervious, her mind flitting between the present and Julian.

Pierre smiles at Neva, a genuine feeling of accomplishment pulsing through him, as he stops his attack. Not wishing to waste anymore time before he got down to it, he begins to unbutton and remove his jeans. He bends down and rips Neva's pajama bottoms off, throwing them carelessly aside. he removes her underwear before moving himself on top of her, his face mere inches from hers. After a moment of silence, he thrusts himself into her, pleased by the soft screams emitted from her as his hand is firmly clamped over her mouth again.

Neva takes a sharp intake of breath as Pierre stops hitting her, feeling blood trickling from her nose and a small gash on her forehead. She looks up, dazed as he stands above her. What was he doing? She hears him unzip something and at that moment it all becomes hideously clear. She closes her eyes, kicking her legs desperately as he removes her clothing. Small tears break from her eyes as he thrusts himself into her, hot pain searing through her. With each thrust she feels the pain intensify, her every thought focused on Julian. It's funny what people think in moments like this. She concentrated entirely on Julian. She thought that perhaps if she imagined it was Julian, the ordeal wouldn't be so bad. Alas, it was. Julian could never cause her this much pain. She feels herself becoming detached from the situation, unwilling to show how much she was hurting.

After what seems like an eternity, she feels his body explode with pleasure. She keeps her eyes firmly closed as he slides off of her, her tear stained face hot to the touch.

Pierre stands up after his thrill, taking his jeans from the floor and pulling them on without thought for the fragile creature he had violated so callously. "Well it's been fun and all but I have a certain lover boy to visit" he sneers before dissapparating back to the Orchard. Neva lays on the dank floor, numb to her surroundings.

Pierre reappears in the kitchen of the Orchard to find Julian sat at the kitchen table. "Hello Julian" he smiles, in full realization that they had never met before. "You don't know me but Neva does" She has been...ah. Indisposed as it were" he explains with a wry smirk. Not waiting for an invitation, he takes a mug from the cupboard and pours himself a cup of tea.

Julian had been sitting at his kitchen table, silently eating breakfast. He was preparing for yet another day of hard work and no reward. His whole body was completely sore, but he remembered he was doing this for Neva.

His thoughts strayed to her and he smiled softly. He wondered what she was doing now, if she was getting the highest marks on her Transfiguration homework. He sipped his morning mug of green tea and began on another bit of toast, but was suddenly interrupted by a loud pop.

He looked up in surprise, half-expecting to find Neva standing before him. Instead, it is a young man, about the same age as himself and Neva. He stood up quickly. "Who the hell are you?" he barked. He furrowed his eyebrows when the man mentioned Neva, and how she supposed knew him. "What the hell are you talking about?" He growled, pulling out his wand, when he said she was 'indisposed.' "Where is she?" he hissed.

He could tell already that he did not like this guy. Something about him freaked him out, and he smelled of bodily fluids, blood, and sweat.

Pierre smirks as Julian pulls his wand out and trains it on him. He sets his mug down onto the counter and casually pulls out his own wand. "Accio wand" he yawns, holding out his hand and grasping Julian's wand. He stuffs both wands into his pocket.

"I can assure you she is safe. Well...as safe as one can be in a dank cell." He rubs his knuckles where they were marked and bruised. He had sustained these injuries during his attack. "I can really see what you see in her. She's quite a lay" she smirks, malice etched on his calm, overly cool features.

He ponders for a moment before sitting down at the kitchen table. "I am afraid that I shall be needing your services before I even consider releasing her" he says dryly.

Julian growled once more when he took his wand and stuffed it in his pocket. He advanced on him when he mentioned a dank cell. "You bastard," he growled. He saw that the guy's knuckles were bruised, and immediately came to the conclusion that he hurt Neva. He hurt Neva. That was it. Now he _really_ didn't like the guy.

He frowned when he said that she was quite a lay. "You didn't…" he hissed. Julian didn't care if he didn't have his wand. He was going to skin him with his own hands. He was going to lunge at the guy, but he sat down, so casually, at his kitchen table.

"What kind of services?" he growled, wanting nothing more than to rip out this guy's throat.

Pierre smirks as Julian grows angrier by the moment. "It's all the more fun when they put up a fight" she smirks, licking his lips to taunt the man.

"Ah yes. The services I require" He says, thinking for a moment. "My master requires your service in retrieving a rather special item of his from a vault in the Ministry of Magic headquarters." He states, his thick British accent growing all the more superior with each word. The fact that he was working for his master, that he was pleasing him, exhilarated him.

Neva had never known that he was a double agent, working for both the Ministry and Lord Voldemortist. He had recently lost favor with the Ministry however, when he tried to retrieve the object for himself.

Julian growled softly. Julian was a smart guy. He could put two and two together. And from what he gathered, this son of bitch hurt Neva, and raped her. Julian wanted to beat down on this person so badly. He didn't even know his name, but it didn't matter. He wanted to kill him.

Julian stood there in utter shock. His master? He must be speaking about Voldemortist. So he worked for the Dark Lord, did he? Well, not when Julian was through with him. He narrowed his eyes, listening to the creep. "What is it?" he hissed. He didn't want to help him, Merlin knew he didn't, but he had no choice if he wanted to keep Neva alive.

Sobs racking her pained frame, Neva slowly makes her way over to the back wall. She leans up against it, her knees tucked under her chin, as the cuffs around her wrists burned her skin.

Pierre watches Julian's angered visage with intrigue. He knew he was making the pill taste even more bitter than it was. This pleased him as he couldn't resist digging the knife in a little deeper. "Her screaming for you almost killed the mood, I must confess" he digresses. He attempts to mimic her voice in apparent mocking, screaming although his smirk gave away the trauma. "Julian! Please! Julian!" he laughs. "Do you have any idea how pathetic she sounded? The poor bitch" he shakes his head.

Pulling a piece of parchment from his coat, he looks at it for a few moments before speaking. "My master learned a great deal from our greatest Lord Voldemort. He took the liberty of creating himself a set of horcruxes. Unfortunately one of these has fallen into the possession of the ministry. He shall need them back if he intends on carrying on in his privileged career" he explains.

Julian shook with anger as the creep continued to speak. How he wanted to shut that mouth of his for good. It surprised him that he had not lunged at him the moment he found out that he rape Neva. He growled softly, his hands balling into fists. No matter that he didn't have his wand. He would kill him with his own hands, and he'd take pleasure in it too.

He continued to shake as the guy, who did not introduce himself yet, revealed a slip of parchment. Greatest Lord Voldemort, his ass. Just look what happened to him. "Good," he spat. "I'm glad the damn ministry has one of the horcruxes. Seems to be the only good thing they're doing these days."

Pierre raises an eyebrow at Julian's ordacious words. "Not a good thing for you. Because if I fail to get the horcrux, you fail to get Neva back" he states bluntly, just imagining her petrified visage in her mind. Tasty. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he was only truly turned on by her when she was completely repulsed. Perhaps her suffering was too tantilising to say no to.

"You do want her back...don't you" He asks cooly, certain of Julian's answer.

"Of course I want her back you bastard," he hissed. He straightened up, relaxing his muscles, or at least, trying to. His eyes glared daggers at the guy, not believing his audacity.

"What do you want me to do about the damn horcrux?" he hissed. "I'm not a ministry official." Julian knew what the guy wanted him to do, but he wasn't going to do it. But wait, of course he was. He couldn't let Neva stay in the hands of this creepy-ass guy.

"Who are you?" he asked suddenly. He never cared before, but he wanted to know. "And how do you seem to know Neva so well?"

Pierre laughs a loud, cruel guffaw. "I fail to see why" he comments. To him, women had only served one purpose, one that they could easily gratify for themselves. Unless one was looking for a more violent thrill, in which case a woman served perfectly.

He smiles as he questions his purpose. This was the interesting part. "Ah. This is where it gets interesting" he exclaims. He stands up and turns to Julian. "A rather important ministry official is visiting the area for a book signing" he sighs at this. "Why one would deem fame and fortune equally as important as running the affairs of our nation us beyond me" he says quietly. "Where was I? Oh yes. I need you to lure him back here, using your charm and wit of course, whilst I use this". He pulls a small vial of what appears to be polyjuice potion. "I shall then infiltrate the ministry to retrieve the horcrux. Your job is to keep the man distracted" he states simply.

Pierre walks over to Julian, a cruel smile on his face. "And if you need incentive..." he places a hand on Julian's temple. As he does this a white cloud appears to engulf them, only dissipating when their surroundings completely change. They appear in a dark, dank cell. Neva is huddled in the corner looking battered and bruised, her hair strewn around her like a caveperson's. From a side door, Pierre's past self walks into the room looking rather smug and pleased with himself. He and Julian watch as he takes pleasure in her...ah...company. "I always knew I was a Beast" he remarks with a coy grin. Their surroundings seem to drip away slowly, as if they were in some sort of oil painting, before leaving them back in the confines of the kitchen.

"I shall see you shortly" Pierre states before vanishing with a soft pop.

Julian glared at him once more. He was just itching to get his wand back and kill him. He listened to the arrogant son of a bitch as he spoke. His eyes narrowed. "You want me to distract the guy. That's it? Why don't you have one of your followers distract him? Why the fuck do you need me to do it?" he hissed. He still didn't see how he was important in all of this. He didn't care though. He wanted Neva back, and he'd just about do anything to get her back. In one piece.

Julian flinched when the guy touched him, as though he'd electrocuted him. But all the guy did was show him where Neva was. His eyes widened and he let out a cry of alarm and horror as he watched. He turned to the guy next to him and growled. "You disgusting bastard," he hissed. When he engaged in the horrifying act, Julian had to turn away. He couldn't watch it. He knew this had already happened, so he could do nothing to help Neva. But he would make sure this fucker paid…with his life.

The scene ended, and they were now back in the kitchen. Growling and muttering curses under his breath, he watched as the guy Disapparated. He still had his wand. No matter. Julian didn't need magic to beat the shit out of the guy.

He wandered around the house, looking for something to kill him with once he returned.

Pierre arrived back at Neva's cell, fully convinced of his plan. It would work. He would get his revenge against Neva and appease his master in one foul swoop. All he needed was for the polyjuice potion to work. He opens the door loudly, smiling as he sees the fragile young woman flinch at the noise. She didn't look up, however. She wouldn't see anything even if she did.

He walks swiftly over to where Neva is sat huddled up to the pipe bearing her chians and leans down. "I have a little job for you" he snarls, grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her head back as he spoke. He couldn't help but snigger as she cried out in alarm and pain. "You are going to take this polyjuice potion and come with me" he explains. He had planted a single hair from the ministry official into the mixture, as well as into his own which was tucked safely in his jacket. He pulls open her mouth and pours the liquid into her mouth. He stands back, watching as she changes into the middle aged man's form before his very eyes.

Pierre, not wishing his plans to fail because of Neva's loose tongue, casts an unforgivable on her so that she would be forced to follow his orders. He quickly removes her chains and pulls her to her feet. She was still extremely shaky. No matter. He could put that down to age. With a small pop, they dissapparate. They reappear in the kitchen of the Orchard a moment later.

"Julian. Get in here now" Pierre barks, his tone signifying that he wished to be obeyed immediately. He throws Nev- the ministry official, into a chair and mutters something. Ropes begin to entwine themselves around her arms and legs, tying her to the chair. He watches Julian arrive back in the kitchen, knowing that his absence would have served to anger him more. "He's all yours" he snarls before disappearing out of sight again.

Neva sits in her seat, wishing that she could cry out, give some sort of warning that it was her. But she couldn't. Pierre's spell saw to that. She opens her mouth in desperation as Pierre departs. "That...man filled me in on the whole thing. I hope that little whore of yours doesn't let him down" she snarls in a voice not belonging to her. What had happened? Those weren't her words.

Julian was still digging through his room when he heard the guy's voice again. He frowned, not even wanting to go down there. But he knew he had to. So he did.

He stalked into the kitchen just in time to see the guy tie the man to the chair. He glared at the man with distaste and looked up at the guy. "He looks pretty occupied to me," he growled. He cursed at the spot when the guy left the kitchen.

Turning to the ministry official, he glared daggers at him. "What the fuck does that mean?" he growled. What did Neva have to do with this? Was she assisting him somehow? Like hell she would. He sat down across from him, not even bothering to finish his now cold tea and breakfast. He had no appetite.

Neva flinches slightly at Julian's glare. She knew it wasn't directed at her, rather the words being forced out of her mouth. But from her eyes, his bore into hers and it killed her ever so slightly. She tries to close her eyes but the spell on her was preventing her actions. She couldn't find any way to alert Julian of the situation. She concentrates with all her might, trying to force out a word, something that would perhaps give him a clue.

"J...J...J..." she stammers, feeling exhausted by that effort alone. "You know exactly what it means" she growls, the bitter, seasoned voice residing over hers again. "If the hussy hadn't allowed herself to be captured, neither of us would be in this situation now. I blame her" she states simply. In her mind, expletives burst through every brain cell. It was at times like this that she so sorely wished that magical schools allowed their teachers to prepare them for situations like this. She couldn't see a way out.

Julian had a sudden urge to hit the man. But he was a Ministry official, and he wouldn't do so. Instead, he glared at the man again and got up to fix himself something to drink. So he lied, he did have an appetite. Not really, but it was something to busy himself with.

"It's not Neva's fault. She had nothing to do with this. I blame you." He turned to the man, sipping the Firewhiskey bitterly. "Want to know why? You idiots at the Ministry should have hid the damn horcrux better. Now I'm forced to help you against my will? Why? Because I want to get Neva back. But of course I want her back. D'you think I like what that git did to her?"

He downed the Firewhiskey in one shot, shaking his head bitterly. "No, I don't. In fact, if I had my wand, the son of a bitch would be dead right now, and I wouldn't be sitting here wasting my time with you. I need to find Neva."

Neva's face is forced into a glare at Julian's words. " J...J...J..ul" Damnit! She couldn't say it. That one little word could clue him in on who was sat before him. She felt like crying with emotional and physical exhaustion. The pain she was left in by Pierre's attack had subsided with the Polyjuice effect. She knew it would come back with a vengeance, however, as soon as she returned to her own form.

Failing miserably to bite back the words, she begins to speak again. "You blame us? If that girl had been smart enough to realise that the young man was a Death Eater and informed somebody, none of this would have happened. Unfortunately, she hasn't two brain cells to rub together. At least she has her looks" he digresses.

In a brief moment of clarity, Neva realises why she was being forced to say such things. The spell cast on her fed off of one's inner Demons. What she thought about herself is what was being projected. In order to get out of this, she needed to overcome these thoughts. If only she knew how. Perhaps focusing on the good things in her life would help. Although they were few and far between, there had been moments. Most of them happening since Julian.

Julian arched his eyebrows. What was wrong with this guy? Before he spoke, he kept stuttering. He shook his head, pushing the thought out of his mind. He chalked the guy up to being messed up.

"Well, how was she supposed to know he was a Death Eater?" he hissed, defending Neva. Just because she wasn't there didn't mean he could allow this stupid Ministry official to put her down like that. He stood up suddenly, his arm raised to hit the man. "Take that back," he hissed angrily. "She's smarter than any of you idiots in the Ministry. Just because of one little mistake, you're going to condemn her? How dare you! She's got more on her plate than you'll ever realize. So forgive her if she doesn't look into every little detail of the bastard's personal life!" He glared at the man once more before sitting back down. He wasn't going to hit him. The guy wasn't worth his time.

He stood up once more and seized the whole bottle of Firewhiskey. He poured himself another glass and downed half of it in one gulp, not bothering to offer any to the Ministry official.

Neva flinches inwardly as Julian advances towards her, his arm raised. She knew he was about to crack. How could she make him see what he was doing?

Her face forms in to a grin as he walks away. "You're not man enough to hit me". "Jul...jul..." She stops, her head feeling as though it would explode with the effort. Her heart was racing, knowing that at any moment Julian would lose his rag and take his anger out on her. She just hoped he could hold himself back a little longer. "Hit me!" she states coolly, swearing inwardly. "HIT ME!!!!" she shouts. She attempts to bite the inside of her cheek, to no avail. She was stuck.

_Think happy thoughts Neva _she thinks to herself. Even if they didn't happen to you, just think.

Julian was pouring himself another glass of Firewhiskey when the official just snapped and started shouting at him. He slammed the bottle down with such force the table shook. He stood up and advanced towards the man, his eyes glittering with malice. He was furious, in so many ways. He was angry with himself; he should have stayed at school. He was angry with the guy who raped Neva; he should just die. And he was now angry at the Ministry official; he was pushing him. The guy _wanted_ him to hit him, _wanted_ him to snap and freak out. But he wasn't going to.

Instead of hitting the man with all his might, Julian walked straight past him. He wasn't going to lose his cool. No matter what he did, he wasn't going to snap. That's what the guy wanted, wasn't it? That's what the creep who raped Neva wanted as well. Julian realized he never learned his name. He didn't give a rat's ass who he was though.

Julian shook his head, swearing at himself as he paced the kitchen, clenching and unclenching his fists to vent his anger. He didn't know why, but something about the creep and this man stirred something inside of him. Made him want to lash out and attack something. But this wasn't him. It wasn't in his nature. He didn't know if it was them or the Firewhiskey, but suddenly, he snapped and let out a cry of anger and pain as he struck a cupboard door, smashing it into pieces.

Neva watches Julian walk past her in a fit of rage, thanking Buddha that he didn't walk straight over to her and venting his frustrations. A single tear fell from her eye as she saw how much he was hurting. She was inwardly grateful for it. That tear could tell all to him. Her heart leaps garishly as he strikes the cupboard. _Hey! I just painted that _she thinks to herself. Although she had no idea as to why. There were slightly more pressing matters at hand than splintered wood.

She thinks to herself, willing the word to come. _Come on Neva! You can do it! Don't be proof of your own bias _she tells herself. "Ju...Ju..." Grrrr. _Come on Neva! _She yells inwardly to herself. "Ju...Ju...Jul...JULIAN!" she barks. She cheers inwardly. Finally something had gone right.

Julian didn't even hear the wood splinter or feel the pain. He swung back around as the Ministry official shouted his name. What the…? He frowned, forgetting his pain momentarily.

He walked over to him and stared down at the man. He saw a wet streak on the guy's face and frowned once more. What was that? A tear? He blinked. What was going on? he wondered. He sighed and sat down across from the guy again, nursing his now bleeding hand.

He looked up at the guy. "How do you know my name?" he asked suddenly. He had been trying to figure all of this out in his head, but he was getting a rather large headache. "And who exactly _are_ you?"

Neva's heart drops as he sits across from her. It wasn't working. She chastises herself inwardly, convinced that she chose the wrong hint. Getting her breath back, she focuses on Julian, willing her counterpart to not burst out more filth. She focuses all her energy inwards, hoping against hope that she would be able to repeat the feat.

_Come on Neva. Just one more word. You know what you have to say_ she tells herself. No other knew of Holly. That would be the clincher. If she could just say her name, it would work. She hoped...

"Ho...Ho...Holl...HOLLY!" she barks, the sudden burst of energy reverberating her voice around the room.

Julian's eyes widened considerably and he stared at the man. "How do you know about her…?" he hissed. He stood up, completely forgetting about his hand, which was now throbbing with pain. He regretted hitting the cupboard.

He stared at the man long and hard, convinced now that this man was not who he said he was. His eyebrows furrowed, he studied him, looking for something, anything, that would prove him right, and this man wasn't who he said he was.

After a moment of scrutinizing, his school knowledge kicked in, and his headache cleared. He cursed himself. He should have figured it out the moment he walked into the kitchen. His thoughts flashed back to his days at Durmstrang, and how he and his buddies had snuck into the teacher's lounge by means of Polyjuice Potion. Wait. That was it! Polyjuice Potion!

The creep must have used the Polyjuice Potion to transform someone into this official. There was no Ministry official. But who? The guy was off fetching the horcrux…and he couldn't think of any other person that would be able to do it. Except…

"Neva?" he whispered uncertainly.

Neva's heart leaps when he finally appears to understand. She breathes deeply, working up all the energy she could muster before speaking. "N..ne..neva" she agrees. She thanked Buddha that he had cottoned on. She didn't have any energy left to speak. The spell working its magic on her was draining her energy to try and prevent sudden outbursts like this.

Julian's eyes widened when he-no, she repeated her name. He couldn't believe it. The guy had sunk to an all new low. He rushed around the back and untied her quickly. He stood her up, holding her shoulders tightly. He had her now. All he had to do was wait until the Polyjuice Potion wore off, and then they'd be home free.

He handed her a glass of water and stared at her. She was still in the official's body, but he knew it was Neva, his Neva.

Neva sighs inwardly in relief as Julian unties her, her wrists were chafed quite badly by the ropes around them. She leans against Julian for support, her legs barely taking her weight. With all the strength she can muster, she takes the proffered glass of water from Julian, bringing it slowly to her lips.

She only manages to take a small sip before dropping the glass with a heavy smash. She groans inwardly as the polyjuice begins to lose its effect. She hadn't been given enough to last. Perhaps Pierre was hoping that Julian would finish her off. She closes her eyes, feeling his control spell wearing away with the potion.

After what seemed like an eternity, the potion loses its effect completely. Neva's legs buckle underneath her and she collapses into Julian, her vision swimming. Now that she had her own visage back, her battered and bruised body was exposed for all to see.

Julian caught Neva swiftly as she changed back into herself and collapsed into his arms. He closed his eyes for just a moment, hugging her to him. He had her back. Now that he had her back, nothing was going to tear them apart again.

Opening his eyes and looking down at her, he drew in a sharp breath. She looked terrible. He narrowed his eyes and cursed silently. "We have to get you some rest," he said softly. He picked her up bridal style and brought her to their room. He gently laid her down on the bed and instinctively groped for his wand.

"Damn it!" he growled. The git still had his wand. And he was pretty sure Neva didn't have hers either. Now what? He couldn't heal her wounds, and he knew she was in obvious pain. For once, Julian didn't know what to do.

Neva allows herself to be carried up the steps, her head resting on Julian's shoulder as he walks up the steps, her hands clasped to her stomach. She sighs audibly when he places her on the bed, feeling as though her every muscle was screaming out in pain. It wasn't as hurtful as the mental pain she was in at the moment, however. She felt dirty...violated. How could somebody she once found a small part of her heart for hurt her so badly? It wasn't fair.

She opens her eyes gingerly, finding the light extremely offensive. "Thank you for getting my hints" she says, barely able to smile at her small joke. "If you hadn't..." she pauses for breath. "have understood. I wouldn't have known what to do" she whispers. She knew that Pierre would drop by to see if his plan had worked and that terribly disconcerted her. She felt sick at the thought.

Julian frowned. "I would have gotten them, eventually. I just wish I had figured them out sooner. And I'm glad I didn't hit you. I would have never been able to forgive myself if I did." He shuddered, imagining the guilt he would have faced if he had hit her.

He wrapped the covers around her tightly and forced her to stay down. "If that git comes back, which I'm pretty sure he will, stay here. I'll deal with him. I've got a bone to pick with him. And I'm not going to let him get away with what he's done to you." He tried hard not to think of what was done to her. That someone else took her, not for the first time, but still. He managed a small smile down towards her.

Neva smiles slightly as Julian wraps the covers around her. She hadn't realised how cold she was. She nods quietly to his warning, knowing he was worried. It hurt her to think that maybe, if just a little bit, he was repulsed by what had happened. Maybe repulsed by her...After all, she could have always put up a stronger fight. If it wasn't for those pesky chains...

Before Neva can work up the strength to speak again, there is a loud pop. Pierre appears in the bedroom, looking triumphant and holding a gold locket in his hand. "You have no idea what I had to do to..." he stops speaking when his eyes fall upon Neva. "Ah...you foiled my little scheme" he muses. "No matter." He takes his wand and points it squarely at Julian. " Immobulus" he shouts. He watches the man's body become stiff and rigid before turning back to Neva and stuffing the Horcrux into his back pocket.

With all the strength she can muster, Neva throws the covers off of her and stands up. "Woah. Head rush..." she says quietly to herself. She saunters over to Pierre. "That was a clever scheme." she says in a voice unlike her own. A voice she only used when she was plotting. "I should have known a smart, debonair young man like you could never fool us" she smiles, every movement of her lips repulsing her. It sickened her that she was being so accommodating. Still...she needed to do it. She rubs her hand seductively over Pierre's neck, working her way behind him. She thanked Buddha that, as he was a man, he was completely entranced by her movement. In a swift movement, making sure that only Julian can see what she is doing, she quickly takes the Horcrux from his pocket and places it out of sight in her breast pocket. He hadn't noticed...thank Buddha.

Julian let out a cry of surprise when he was immobilized. Everything had happened so fast. He managed to fall against the bed and his eyes widened with surprise when Neva advances towards the guy.

He struggled against his bindings, but stopped in mid-wiggle when Neva began to seduce him. He growled. What the hell did she think she was doing? Oh, she was going to get it for this. After all the things he'd done to her, she's going back to him?! The jealous boyfriend part kicked in, and he glared angrily at them both-until he saw what Neva was doing.

She had taken the horcrux from him. A ploy. That's all that was. At least, that's what Julian hoped. He kept up the façade of the pissed off, jealous boyfriend though, just to keep up appearances. Inside, his feelings were in turmoil. What if he had done something else to her in that room? Other than beat and rape her. Maybe she…no. Julian willed himself not to think about that.

Whilst Pierre is still immobilised by her advances, Neva parts him from Julian's wand. She had taken the liberty of learning a few silent spells, which she thanked herself for. "Finite Incantatum" she says in her head, pointing the wand at Julian in the hopes that his bindings would release him. She was just about to take his wand when he snaps out of it.

Pierre glares at Neva, knowing full well that she trying to get something out of him. What, he didn't know. He pulls out his wand and faces her, backing her up against the wall. "How stupid do you think I am?" he asks. Neva has to practically fight with herself to not answer the question. After all, he was asking for it. Pierre raises his wand high and shouts, pure malice in his voice. "Avada Kedavra!" Neva is thrown against the wall and lands on a heap on the floor.

For a few moments, it appears as though she had succumbed to the spell. For a while, Neva thought she had too. Her thoughts where elsewhere and she felt completely detached from everything. After almost a full minute, Neva rolls over onto her back. She reaches into her breast pocket and pulls out the burnt, charred Horcrux. She throws it to Pierre's feet, chuckling softly. "Stupid enough to destroy your master's Horcrux..." She turns to Julian, smiling. She couldn't lift herself off of the ground, so resigned herself to laying on the floor, basking in her tiny victory before the full situation hit her like a ton of bricks again.

Julian's eyes widened and he was released from his bindings. He leapt up, but wasn't quick enough when the guy shouted the killing curse at Neva. He swung his head around and watched her crumple into a heap onto the floor. He growled angrily and lunged at the guy. He almost reached him when he heard Neva's voice. He turned his head in mid-punch and stared at the locket that was thrown at the guy's feet.

He smirked at the guy. "Looks like she foiled your plan. Now it's time for payback." He glanced at Neva once more, assessing that she was alright, just tired, and he lunged at the guy again, punching him furiously.

Neva watches Julian lunging at Pierre, his attack bringing her soberly back to reality. In one foul swoop, her memory of what had happened...what he had done to her, returned with a vengeance. She drags herself over to the wall and leans against it, her knees tucked under her chin, as she watches Julian.

Pierre looks on in horror as he realises what she had done. His jaw gapes, his eyes falling on the destroyed horcrux before him. He jumps back as Julian lunges at him. He throws a sharp punch to Julian's jaw as he punches him, knocking him back. He sneers for a moment before removing his wand and training it on Neva as he walks towards her. "YOU'VE DESTROYED MY MASTER'S HORCRUX!!!" He shouts. "Cruc-" he stops speaking when he is lunged at again.

"Leave her alone, you son of a bitch!" he growled at the guy. He could care less as to what happened to the locket, but right now he was just concentrating on beating this guy into submission.

He must have looked quite a sight to Neva. He'd never hit anything before in his life, not that he could recall, anyway. He hoped that he wasn't scaring her too much. But this had to be done. He knew he wouldn't have enough strength to cast the Avada Kedavra curse on him, and besides he wanted to make him _suffer._

Neva looks on as Julian carries on his attack on Pierre. She couldn't help but feel a small amount of pity for him. Perhaps she was too trusting for her own good. Sighing slightly, she pulls out Julian's wand and casts the same immobulus spell on Pierre.

She didn't want Julian to be hurt.

Julian felt the guy's body go rigid underneath his. He paused and stared down at him. He was immobilized. Why? Then he turned to Neva and looked at her. She held his, Julian's, wand in her hand and was aiming it at the guy.

He lifted himself off the guy and crawled over to Neva. That punch to the jaw hurt, he was dizzy. He didn't want to endanger himself more by getting up. "Are you alright?" he asked hoarsely. "He didn't hit you, did he?" He knew that was a stupid question, as she was still alive, but still. He wanted to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Neva shakes her head quietly, her eyes still transfixed by the scene before her. "I'm fine" she says quietly. "Just do what you have to do. I don't think Voldemortist would miss this particular follower too greatly" she admits. She knew Julian had to do this. For his peace of mind as well as her own. She didn't know how she would sleep at night knowing that a Beast like him was still on the loose.

Julian frowned as he understood what Neva was telling him to do. "You want me to…?" he asked nervously. He shook his head. No matter what he'd done, he couldn't kill someone in cold blood. With Hyde it was different.

"Neva, you know I love you, and I would do anything for you. I would. But you can't expect me to kill him like that," Julian said desperately.

Neva watches Julian's desperation, knowing that she was asking too much. "You're right. I know. I'll deal" she says quietly. Although how, she didn't know. Every time she closed her eyes she could see his face, taunting her as though she were nothing. 

"Perhaps Voldemortist will take that action. After all, he did destroy his horcrux" she digresses.

Julian stared at Neva. She really wanted this guy dead. What else had he done to her...Julian wondered. He clasped Neva's hand in his own and looked at her.

"Who is he?" he asked. "I want to know before I kill him. What did he do to you? How do you know him?"

Neva looks deep into Julian's eyes, unable to keep herself from sobbing, her breath coming in short bursts as she explains who her attacker is. "His name is Pierre Baudeleer. Two years ago, when I attended Beauxbatons, we used to be really good friends. That is, until he started to become violent. He would walk to my school after a day working at the ministry, inebriated and very...very angry. If I didn't show him enough attention he would hit me. That's why I left to come here. Make a fresh start. At least I thought it would be. But he followed me. He apprehended me in the Orchard last term, Sylvia was there. He tried to get me to return with him, playing the doting boyfriend card. For a moment I almost believed him. That is, until he tried to...you know." She couldn't bring herself to say the word. It was bad enough that he had managed to succeed just a short while ago. She finds herself unable to stop her tears from falling down her hollow cheeks as she studies the floor, trying to avert Julian's gaze. "I only stayed with him as long as I did out of fear. I never really loved him. It was just...we grew used to each other."

Julian listened to Neva as she explained who he was. His gaze never once left her face, though his eyes did narrow. They grew used to each other? He didn't get it. He released her hand and stared at her for a moment. He didn't know what to think. Sure, he was disgusted that she was raped, but who wouldn't be? He wasn't going to let that destroy their relationship however.

But to find out that she stayed with this…with Pierre just because she was afraid of him made Julian think of her in an all new light. He didn't know what to think. But he did know one thing. He was going to get rid of this…Pierre once and for all. He wasn't going to allow him to keep harassing Neva, or himself.

He didn't say a word, but seized his wand and trained it on Pierre. Through this whole ordeal, he didn't know the guy's name. But now that he did, it made Julian want to kill him even more. How ironic, before he'd even heard of Hogwarts, he hadn't killed a thing in his life. Now, he's killed more things, and people, than he'd ever thought possible.

He turned away from Neva and muttered the killing curse. It obviously didn't work. Too weak. So he shouted it. His voice reverberated throughout the room and when the deed was done-he didn't watch it- he pocketed his wand and collapsed against the bed.

Neva places a hand over her eyes, concentrating on the floor, as Julian casts the killing curse upon Pierre. She couldn't help but think that all of this...the killing and maiming...was all her fault. "I'm sorry...I'm so...very sorry" she cries, her body shaking as she sobs against the wall.

Julian didn't turn towards Neva, but just sat there. "It's not your fault," he said flatly. "He had it coming. If I didn't get him, Voldemortist would have. You said so yourself."

He didn't know what to say, or do. Should he hold her and comfort her? What? Oh, he knew. He turned towards her, but kept his gaze away. He muttered as many healing spells as he knew and watched, blurrily, her wounds and bruises disappear. If only there was a spell to fix what he was feeling. Though, what he was feeling, he did not know himself. So how could he fix it? Heh. Some reunion.

Neva sits, leaning against the wall as Julian heals her wounds. She hardly felt a difference. It felt as though she had ruined everything simply by being too overcome and weak. She looks up and studies Julian. "You don't want me here. I'm not good for you" she says quietly, tears stinging her lips. "I don't know what you see in me" she whispers, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Julian's head snapped up and he looked at Neva harshly. "What are you talking about?" he said lowly. "Of course I want you here. Why wouldn't I?" He frowned. "What _don't _I see in you?"

He sighed. "Neva, you're everything I've ever wanted, and more. How can you say you're not good for me? I have never known you to be wrong about anything, but that's one thing that you _are_ wrong on."

Neva listens to Julian, her head down as she continues to rock. "I feel so...disgusting. So filthy." she explains. "Am I wrong about that too?" she asks suddenly. As far as she was concerned, she had been tainted forever. Granted. She could wash. But she could never be clean.

Julian nodded, finally pulling her close to him. He no longer cared what had happened to her. Sure, he did, but not to the point of not loving her anymore. He could never do that.

"I think you are wrong about that," he said softly. "No matter what has happened to you, or will happen, Merlin forbid something does, I will never stop loving you. Never."

Neva allows the flood gates to well and truly break as Julian pulls her closer. All of her pent up rage, heartbreak and sadness pours from her eyes in her hot, angry tears. She couldn't bring herself to speak, the pain was so great. Yet she knew Julian would know that she felt the same way. Whatever happened to them, she knew they would make it through to the other side...together.

Julian smiled and held her tight. He allowed her to cry into his shoulder, and just stayed silent. He knew what she was trying to say, and he was grateful for the silence. He thought that if he had to say one more thing, he would begin to cry as well. But he did say one thing. "I love you."

Neva nods into Julian's shoulder, her silent reciprocation to his words. She hugged him to her a little tighter, not willing to break away from him. She was still extremely shaken by her experience, yet couldn't help herself from thinking that Pierre's death had lifted some sort of weight off of her over burdened shoulders.

Julian glanced down at her when she clung to him tighter. He sighed. She had to know that he wouldn't leave her. No matter what happened. He looked around and spotted Pierre's dead body. He wondered what would happen now. But then a thought occurred to him. "Neva," he said softly. "Don't you have class?" he asked. He knew she would be terribly shaken up over this ordeal, but he wondered why she didn't go back to school.

Neva turns towards Julian, studying his demeanor as he asks if she had a prior engagement. She shakes her head, knowing what she has to do. " No. I don't. I...don't want to go back. This has put things into perspective for me and...I realise now that it doesn't matter to me as much as it used to." she replies breathily, not entirely sure how Julian would recieve her declaration. " It seems pretty pointless to me now. My friends have gone...I already have a job lined up. There's nothing keeping me at Hogwarts" she explains.

" I want to stay here...with you".

Julian blinked, surprised as he listened to Neva's explanation. "You…want to stay here?" he asked. He didn't believe it. Just a while ago, Neva wanted to stay at Hogwarts and finish out her last year.

He let her finish speaking before nodding silently. "Alright," he said. "No more Hogwarts. If you're going to stay here, which obviously you are, I'm going to have to clean up this mess." He was referring to Pierre's body, and the slight mess they'd made of the room. He smiled softly and kissed Neva lightly.

"I'm glad," he said. And he was. He'd finally have Neva with him, for good. No more interruptions. No more problems.

Neva nods as Julian mentions cleaning the place up. She hadn't a clue what they were to do with the body. After all, it wouldn't go unnoticed. Unless it was transfigured into something else. She couldn't bring herself to follow his gaze to the frozen form laying so still on the floor. She never wanted to lay her eyes on the man again. After all he had done to her...

She closes her eyes, breathing deeply as Julian kisses her. She wipes her eyes with the back of her sleeve before making to stand up. " I have to wash up. I'm a mess..." she states, getting to her feet shakily. She smiles weakly at Julian before turning and walking out of the bedroom.

Neva makes her way to the bathroom and locks the door behind her as she enters. Stripping down, she turns on the shower and holds her hand underneath it to gauge the temperature. Once the water is hot enough, she climbs inside, taking a bar of soap and a louffa from the sideboard. She begins to scrub vigorously, feeling as though she wuld rub off her skin in the effort. She had to get clean. Where he had touched her...she felt poisoned. It was as though his skin carried a virus that was slowly creeping its way through her veins.

Julian nodded and released Neva. He watched her disappear into the bathroom, and he got up himself. He stared down at the body, wondering what to do with it. He sure as hell wasn't going to touch it. He stepped around it, and pulled out his wand. "Wingardium Leviosa," he muttered. The body lifted up and floated at Julian's waist level. The limbs were limp, and he couldn't bear to look at the thing.

He walked out of the room, the body following him. He didn't bother to make sure it didn't hit the walls as he wandered through the house. He reached the front door and wrenched it open. Thanking Merlin and Buddha alike that he was so secluded, he began the trek to the edge of the woods. No way did he want the body anywhere near his orchard. He set the body down about a hundred feet in the woods. He stared down at it for a moment before muttering a spell. The body was now Transfigured into a rock. A rather large, hideous rock, but a rock nonetheless.

He didn't turn back as he left, and headed back to the house.

After quite a while of fruitless cleansing, Neva turns off the shower and climbs out. She dries herself, siphoning the water, before conjuring herself undergarments. She takes one of Julian's over sized T-shirts and pulls that on afterwards, breathing in his scent.

Walking over to the bathroom mirror, she wipes off the condensation with her hand. She stares at her visage, sneering at herself before turning away. She sighs heavily before walking over to the door and walking out of the room.

Neva walks down the steps silently, Julian's T-Shirt hanging just above her knees. She walks into the living room and sits on the large windowpane at the front, clutching a pillow to her as she draws her knees up under her chin.

Julian entered the house again and headed to the living room. He had expected that Neva would still be showering, so he was a bit startled to see her sitting there near the window, in one of his shirts. He managed a faint smile and walked over to her silently.

"You always could pull off that look better than I could," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. He followed her gaze, wondering what was going on in her head.

Neva jumps slightly, not enough to cause alarm however, as Julian begins to speak. She hadn't noticed him walk in. Although, if she was perfectly honest, she hadn't noticed alot of things lately. She smirks when Julian compliments her look. She sighs slightly.

After a moment of silence, a thought occurs to her. She raises this to Julian. " I don't really know the little things about you" she muses. " I know the big stuff, granted, but I want to know every little detail. Your favourite colour, book, what you hate and love. I want to know everything" she states, suprised at her own curiosity.

Julian looked at Neva, blinking. His look of surprised turned into one of glee. "Of course," he said. He sat down in front of her and fiddled with her bare toes for a while before beginning. He looked up at her. "My favorite color, to begin with, is green. I think you already knew that," he said, glancing down at the engagement ring on his finger. My favorite book? Hmmm…" he thought for a moment. "There are quite a lot, actually. But if I had to choose one, my favorite book would have to be Fledgling, by a Muggle author, Octavia E. Butler. There isn't much I hate that you don't already know. And what I love…well, it's obviously you. You're at the top of the list. Closely following would have to be reading. And after that, is writing. You've never seen me write, but I do like to write." He sighed. "What else would you like to know about me?" he asked.

Neva can't help but beam at Julian's enthusiasm at her sudden bout of curiosity. She wiggles her toes playfully as he fiddles with them, her toe ring glinting manically with the activity. She listens to him with perky ears as he answers her question, nodding in the appropriate places. She lets out a small laugh, blushing slightly as he lists his most loved things, her being at the very top. Suprise paints itself on her alabaster face as he mentions writing. " Oh I would love to read what you've written" she simpers. She couldn't help but think it would be wonderful, taking into account his wealth of knowledge.

Neva ponders for a moment when he asks what else she would like to know. " I don't know...what games you loved to play as a child, your favourite music, what part of the day you love the most,..." she is aware that she is rambling as she searches for questions to ask, but she doesn't mind. She was too eager to know ever detail about him.

Julian shook his head. "Well, it's not much, just a bunch of gibberish," he sighed. "But if you'd like, you can read some of it," he said, smiling at her.

He thought for a moment. "Well, I liked Hide and Seek when I was a child, and hopscotch. And, don't laugh, but I'd play dolls with Kyra when she was old enough. I was always the teddy bear's date." He grinned in remembrance. "My favorite music, hmmm…" he thought again. "Well, I would have to say probably the muggle rock music. I was always into that in Durmstrang. And as much as I like the wizarding bands, the rock music was better. The part of the day I love most would have to be, evening. The nighttime thrills me. Just the solitude and peacefulness. I like walking in the dead of night. It's so serene."

Neva cracks a beaming smile as Julian gives her permission to read his work. " Oh I'm sure I will love it". She says, playing with his hand absently as he carries on answering her questions. She can't help but laugh out loud at his favourite games. " I'm sure your character was a real charmer. That girl had you wrapped around her little finger" she beams, cocking her head to the side slightly. The music he mentioned, she didn't enjoy so much. It had always seemed too angry and primitive for her tastes. " Ah, Night. It's one of the loneliest yet exhilerating times" she muses.

Julian smiled. "Kyra did have me wrapped around her finger," he said. He paused for a moment, looking outside. He sure did miss her. He stared outside for a moment before turning back to her.

"Now that I think of it," he said quietly. "I don't know those things about you either. What do you enjoy?" he asked. "And…everything you asked me." He smiled faintly. His mind was still on his sister, but he kept his attention on the beautiful woman in front of him.

Neva smiles, laughing slightly, as Julian asks her all the questions she had asked him. " Well.. my favourite colour is purple. But, let's face it. You knew that" she giggles, knowing that the colour was predominant in her wardrobe. " My favourite book would be If this is a man by a muggle called Premo Levi. It's about his time in a concentration camp in Aushtvitz. It's very gripping stuff" she explains, trying to remember what she had asked him. " Ah yes. My biggest "pet peeves", as it were, are people who are afraid to be themselves and those who are too eager to take the easy road, even if it involves hurting others" she sighs. She had seen too much of this in her life. It all started with her father...

She brightens up, however, thinking about the things that she loves. " Well, you of course. Like you said, your at the top of my list. Apart from feeding your ego" she laughs, tapping him on the nose lightly with her finger "I love children, walking in the rain, writing, performing and generally being aware of the existence of music". Music certainly was one of her biggest passions. She knew that she could never follow it up as a career, however. It wasn't what most would deem a fitting job.

Ah. Now they were onto games. She couldn't really remember playing many games as a child. Even then she was too busy turning things into toads an dother fun creatures. There was one, however. " I used to adore playing off ground tag." she explains just in case he didn't know what it was. " You know, where the person who is it has to chase the others, unless they find something to stand on, in which case they can't be tagged. I've always been fast on my feet so I was really good at that" she smirks, recalling one game in particular involving a large wall. She had been the only one who had managed to scale it to victory. " Ah. Music. " She muses, dreamily. " I love carefree music. Although some artists I do enjoy tend to be a little on the depressing kind. I don't much enjoy our music, it seems to devoid of feeling for my taste. I prefer muggle music. There is one band I absolutely adore. I don't suppose you have ever heard of R.E.M.? "she asks. "I would sorely love to see them live" she admits. " As for my favourite part of the day, that would be dawn. I love the feeling of walking, carefree whilst everybody else is probably tucked up in their beds. It's very exhilerating and peaceful".

Julian listened to her interestedly. He smiled at her. "No, I've never heard of R.E.M.," he said in reply to her question. He was glad though, to finally get to know her better. He continued to listen to her, enraptured by what she was saying.

Neva was a very interesting person. She was well-rounded as well. Julian never felt so lucky to have met a girl like this. He truly was blessed.

Neva nods slightly at Julian's lack of awareness of her favourite band. " Well I suppose I'll have to show you their music. I'm sure you would love them...but not as much as me of course" she simpers. She looks back out of the window, her thoughts having begun to run away with her again. The one predominant thought she had was how tired she was. Not just physically but mentally and emotionally. Thei past days events seemed to have taken a huge toll on her, threatening to push her over the edge.

After a few moments of dulled silence, Neva stretches and stands up. She ywans before speaking. " I'm gonna go to bed. My head's killing me" she explains, giving Julian a quick peck on the ckeek. She smiles at him before dissappearing out of the door and up the steps to their bedroom.

Neva tosses and turns in her dream as though some invisible force is acting on her. In her dream, just that is happening. Strange flashes of memory of...that event, appear before her. Mocking her. It is as though Pierre had found a new place to reside. If he couldn't haunt her in her waking hours, he could haunt her in her dreams. Somehow, that made it all the worse. Dreams were supposed to bring peace, not new found agonies and pain beyond compare. She shakes her head, small beads of sweat rolling down her face as she grapples with Pierre's distant form. Her breath comes in hollow gasps, racking her body as though she was having some sort of fit.

Just as her dream comes to it's climax, Neva wakes with a start. She sits up quickly, her breathing rushed and catching. It was dark now. There was no light except for the crescent moon shining in through the window. Her eyes dart around the room as she tries desperately to guage her safety. From beside her, she hears Julian stir, but she doesn't care. He was asleep. She collapses back into her pillow, her hands folded on her forehead. She kicks the bed in sheer frustration, trying desperately to catch her breath. "GODDAMNIT" she snarls.

Without caring that she may wake Julian up, she throws herself out of bed and walks over to the book shelf. She pulls book after book off of the shelves, throwing them to the ground as she searches for a certain text. She knocks over a vase in her distress, hearing it smash loudly on the floor. "Where is it????" she shouts, more to herself than anything. Not caring for the dire mess on the floor, she continues to throw book after book off of the shelf until she finds the book she requires.

Neva sits on the edge of the bed, rifling through the pages. "I can't find it" she snarls, her eyes darting back and forth as she tries to read the text in the dark. She pauses at a page, certain that it is the right one. "Single event obliviation". Without a second thought she pulls out her wand. She had managed to summon it using Julian's wand. Where it had been, she could only guess.

That night, Julian slept fitfully. Though, not as bad as Neva, apparently. He awoke to her cursing at nothing, seemingly. He sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he grumbled, his voice cracking from disuse through the night. He jumped, startled, as something smashed to the ground. He vaguely hoped it wasn't his mother's prized vase. He groped around for his wand, but couldn't find it. Instead, he flicked on the lamp, the room flooding with dim light.

He spotted Neva perched on the edge of the bed, poring over a book. He ran a hand through his mussed hair. "Dear, if you want to read, can't it wait until morning?" he pleaded. "Come back to bed."

Neva barely registers Julian awaking behind her. She was too lost in thought, trying to guage the consequences of the spell before her. " It...can't wait." she snarls, his question irking her slightly. She continues to scan the page, not convinced that it was the right spell at all. " IT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE!!!" she shouts to herself before throwing the book at the wall hard.

She lifts herself off of the bed, and resumes pulling books off of the shelf, trying to find what she needed. " I just need one spell...one spell to make it go away" she seethes, her voice thick and clogged. There were no tears. She thought that perhaps she had cried them all. Her eyes were arid and raw, as though she had not blinked for an age.

Julian blinked as she snapped at him. Okay, he was fully awake now. He sat up straighter in bed as he stared at her. He flinched as she threw the book at the wall. "Neva," he said loudly. "What the hell is going on?"

He pulled back the warm covers of the bed, reluctantly leaving the comfort and warmth. He strode over to her and seized her shoulders, spinning her around. "What's wrong?" he asked. "This isn't like you at all." He gazed down at her. The dim light of the lamp was making her face shadowed, and she looked like a ghoul in the dark. He narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the dent in the wall made from the hurled book.

"What's wrong?" he repeated, not releasing her shoulders.

Neva breaks free from Julian's grasp and begins pacing the room, for lack of anything better to do. Her breath was still stunted and ragged. Her words came in sharp gasps, not having enough power to string themselves into sentences. " I...can't...breathe.." she states. " A person should be able to breathe, right?" she asks, her hands twisting around each other as she paces, not having the will to stay in one spot for more than a few seconds.

" I can't sleep...I can't...get that...Bas.tard out of my mind" she shouts, her hands clasped to her temples. " I just need one spell to make it...to make him go away. If I don't I'll go mental" she snarls, almost pleading with Julian to take it all away.

Julian just stared at her, confused as hell. He had no bloody clue what was going on until she mentioned him. Pierre. Of course, she didn't have to say his name, but he knew what she was talking about.

He frowned and watched her pace. One spell? He had no idea what she was talking about. For all he knew, she was stark raving mad. But he would help her if it would get her back to bed, and sane again. He bent down and picked up a book, and began to flip through it.

He paused at a page, and read it. "Is this what you're talking about?" he asked, unaware this was the book she'd thrown earlier.

Neva shakes her head as Julian questions the page she had previously been looking at. " No. It's not right. It takes too much. I just need one day gone." she says, feeling edgier by the moment. She chances a glance at Julian's concerned features, feeling a pang of guilt. It quickly subsides however. She couldn't help this. She knew he would understand. If she could just forget.

Julian stared at the page for a moment longer before tossing it aside, onto the bed. He had no idea what she needed. Well, he knew, but he didn't know how to give it to her. He was smart, but not that smart.

He frowned and picked up another book. Suddenly he tossed it aside and hurried to the closet. "This?" he asked, digging through it, and emerging with a large, heavy book. Hermanzah's book. Back when they'd freed the villagers from their marble coffins. "Maybe it's in here?"

Neva takes the book off of Julian as he removes it from the closet. She begins to rifle through the pages, not entirely convinced of the books usefulness. It had all the basic elements of evil...but no memory spells. Her heart drops, realising that she was asking way too much of the powers that be. She just wanted to forget what was done to her.

She drops the book on the floor, defeated and falls backwards onto the bed, her palms over her watering eyes. " I just want it to go away" she sobs. " I'm not being greedy. All I'm asking for is to forget one wrong. Is that so unreasonable" she asks the air, not really expecting an answer.

Julian shook his head. "No!" he said, excited now. He remembered what had happened, the spell Neva had used to wipe the memories from the villagers. "Neva," he said, picking up the heavy book once more.

He leafed through it hurriedly before stopping at a page that held the incantation, "From dusk till dawn are memories formed. Erase the deed so they no pay heed."

Julian looked over to Neva as she sat on the bed, crying. "Isn't this what you want?" he asked, pushing the open book towards Neva. He pointed at the words. "This is what you did to the villagers. Maybe it'll work for you." 

Neva sits up, wiping her eyes as the book is thrust at her. She takes it, reading the words slowly. She nods, feeling a small stirring of excitement. She just hoped that she would have the foresight to realise that she was at the Orchard to stay. After all, she had made that promise in the throes of misery. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes before reciting the incantation.

After a few moments, Neva opens her eyes looking extremely confused. " What happened here?" she asks, completely oblivious that she had made the mess. "Reparo" she mutters, watching as the vase returns to it's position on the mantle. She casts the same spell on the dint in the wall before beginning to pick up the books scattered carelessly on the floor. " was it one of the cats?" she asks, somewhat amused. "They are little blighters" she muses, her eyes falling on the book she had plpaced on the bed moments before. " Why would one need a memory spell?" she asks herself. She shrugs the question off however, as she scoops up the book with it's brothers and returning them to the shelf.

Julian watched as Neva recited the incantation. He blinked as she began to suddenly clean everything. "Looks like it worked," he said faintly.

He was glad it worked for Neva, but even though she wouldn't remember anything of what happened that day, he would. He shut his eyes, clamping them tightly. He just hoped that Pierre's body never Transfigured back into its original form.

Julian watched her as she began to clean up the mess. He sighed heavily and sat back on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. It seemed that she really didn't remember everything. At least she didn't. For her sake, if for nothing else, Julian made sure that he would never speak of this day again.

Neva returns the last of the books and turns around, frowning at Julian's sullen form. " What's wrong honey?" she asks, sitting down beside him and kissing him swiftly on the cheek. For some reason, she couldn't quite recall how she had ended up at Julian's. She must have, at some stage, had a change of heart about staying at Hogwarts without him. She must have followed him back. No matter. She had a job lined up at Beauxbatons so she didn't really need to finish the year.

She wraps her arms around him, warming him up. His skin was deathly cold. Come to think of it, she was a little chilly. As she noticed, she was only wearing one of Julian's shirts.

Julian didn't respond when she asked him what was wrong and kissed him on the cheek. He silently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "Thank Merlin you're alright," he whispered, almost inaudibly.

He didn't say anything more, but just held her, his chin resting on her head. He felt her wrap her arms around him, and tightened his grip on her.

"What say we get back to sleep?" he asked quietly.

Neva frowns silently, having caught what he had said. She opens her mouth to ask why she wouldn't be, but thinks better of it. She knew he was protective of her. Perhaps it was just one of those passing comments.

She smiles as he mentions bed, yawning slightly. " That sounds like a plan to me" she beams before standing up and walking over to her side of the bed. She pulls the covers over her before tapping his side of the bed, bidding him to join her.

Julian returned to his side of the bed, his brow still furrowed. Though he had promised not to mention it to Neva, he still couldn't help but wonder if anything of her ordeal was still in her mind, or was it as if that day had never happened? Because, even with everything bad that happened, there still was some good, and he wondered if she remembered any of it.

Obviously not, as she smiled at him and patted the bed next to her. He sighed heavily and climbed back into bed. The covers were cool, not at all warm as they had been. But at least Neva was safe now. And happy. That was all that mattered, right?

He kissed her silently on the forehead before slumping back onto his pillow.

Neva smiles as he lays beside her, planting a kiss on her forehead. She moves in closer to him and wraps her arms around his torso, laying her head on his shoulder. It was strange. She couldn't remember anything about that day. Except her conversation with him later on in the evening. Perhaps the day had just been too un eventful to remember.

" Tomorrow you can show me some of your writing" she smiles, snuggling up to him.

Julian felt her snuggle up to him, but he just laid there. He started, however, when she mentioned his writing. So she _did_ remember some of it. He smiled. So their conversation wasn't a complete loss.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her lips lightly. "I love you," he whispered.

Neva wrinkles her nose as Julian kisses her. " I know you do. I love you too" she simpers before resting her head back on his shoulder. She really was tired. She disregarded the tumolt of questions in her head as she felt herself begin to drift away. How had she gotten here? Why did Julian say that about her being okay? Why couldn't she remember the day?

These didn't matter. She was here now and as happy as she could be. That was enough for her. She can't help but allow a huge, beaming smile drift it's way to her lips as she falls asleep.

Julian gazed down at Neva's now sleeping figure as his mind rattled with dozens of thoughts and questions. He didn't voice any, however, as he closed his own eyes and tried to fall back asleep.


End file.
